


Birthdays

by Ruruu137



Series: Rue's Contribution for Molly Hooper Appreciation Week (Winter 2018) [3]
Category: Sherlock (TV)
Genre: F/M, Molly Hooper Appreciation Week, day 3: get the party ..., post-tld, pre-tfp
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2018-02-16
Updated: 2018-02-16
Packaged: 2019-03-19 11:42:35
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 1
Words: 1,050
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/13703766
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Ruruu137/pseuds/Ruruu137
Summary: Sherlock comes to realize how important Molly is to him, but maybe he's too late to appreciate her.





	Birthdays

**Author's Note:**

> I didn't have the time to finish this one on time, so I skipped this from posting on Tumblr.
> 
> Also, if there's any incorrect portrayals of the characters then I would like to apologize beforehand.

* * *

 

“Happy birthday, Sherlock,” Molly said simply but cheerfully as she entered the cake shop.

 

Sherlock looked at her as she quietly sat down at their table, from her outrageous fashion sense (her yellow jumper had bright red cherries right on her chest) to the large bag she had carried into the shop. It was most probably filled with some clothes, toiletries and maybe a make-up bag. _Staying overnight somewhere?_ But what mostly caught Sherlock’s eyes were how tired she looked and the dark circles that were prominent underneath her eyes.

 

“Thank you, Molly,” Sherlock replied curtly.

 

John handed Sherlock the knife. “C'mon, mate. Time to cut the cake,” he said before smiling goofily at Rosie. The toddler was giggling and mumbling in baby words as she played with Mary’s hairband. Sherlock could not help but wonder at how much Rosie resembled her late mother, especially the way she showed her teeth as she smiled.

 

Sherlock sighed in annoyance. “Is this necessary?” he asked without dropping his crossed arms in front of his chest. He had been sitting like that since he came into the cafe.

 

“Yes,” John replied simply but firmly. He thrust the handle of the knife further towards Sherlock, who took it with a huff. Molly let out a quiet giggle at the sight.

 

Sherlock then sliced the cake only once before handing the knife to John. “Done,” he said without looking at John. He briefly glanced at Molly, who was sitting right across from him. “Better give a slice to Molly now, John. Her shift’s starting soon, she has to work overtime for most probably about three days, and she’s definitely given up on her diet.”

 

‘Asshat,’ Molly thought, suddenly feeling self-conscious of herself at the moment.

 

Sherlock must have noticed how she squirmed in her seat, as one side of his mouth curved upwards into a small smirk. “So you do notice? Shall I tell you exactly how much you’ve gained weight as well? I don’t think you know how much, you’ve been very busy lately.” He took a sip of his coffee.

 

“Sherlock…” John warned as he handed a slice of cake on a plate to Molly.

 

Molly could only glare at Sherlock for half a minute before she stood up. When John called for her to sit down, Molly looked at him apologetically.

 

“Sorry, John. Sherlock’s right. I’m kinda busy right now and I really don’t have time to put with his bullshit,” she said while fighting back tears. While she wrapped herself up in her bright red scarf, she noticed from the corner of her eyes that people surrounding their table were starting to stare. She rummaged through the contents of her bag and once she found what she was looking for, she threw it onto the table right in front of Sherlock.

 

“Again, happy birthday, Sherlock,” she said through gritted teeth. “May God bless.” With that, she dashed out of the shop.

 

Sherlock sat there silently while smacking his lips several times. John could only sigh in disbelief over what had happened.

 

“For once, Sherlock, can’t you stop being such a dickhead and be nice to everyone else? Especially Molly?” John huffed. Rosie was staring at her father and godfather silently. For once, she went quiet.

 

Sherlock then focused his attention to the present right in front of him. It was neatly wrapped with a green wrapper and now bows, and when Sherlock unwrapped it there was a medium-sized midnight blue box staring right at him somewhat proudly. He removed the lid and after pushing aside all the magenta-coloured tissue paper, found himself staring in surprise at what lay inside the box.

 

“What is it?” John asked before he himself looked inside the box as well in shock.

 

A framed picture of John and Mary’s wedding day stared right into their face from inside the box.

 

Everyone was smiling at the camera; the bride and groom beaming happily on their joyous day, the maid of honour, Janine, smiled demurely, Mrs. Hudson’s a polite one (anyone could tell that she was somewhat disappointed that Sherlock and John were not what she thought they were) and Lestrade even looked happy, most probably for the couple (Sherlock can tell from the lines on his forehead that the detective inspector was thinking of his failed marriage). And then there’s Sherlock, also smiling, but more grim-like and with a frown on his forehead.

 

But Sherlock’s attention as he stared at the photograph was attracted to Molly, or rather where she was looking at.

 

While the others were looking straight at the camera, she was looking directly at Sherlock. Although Sherlock had always been good at guessing people’s thoughts through their facial expressions, he failed to deduce what was going on in Molly’s as she looked at him. She was also smiling, but her smile looked…sad? Her then-fiancé was not there in the picture

 

He remembered how Molly could always see him. “ _You look sad…when you think he can’t see you._ ” It was at that moment more than two years ago that made him realize how important Molly Hooper was to him. She could be an ally, a confidante, and a friend…and friends don’t hurt each other, as far as Sherlock knows.

 

Sherlock almost lost her as he ran out. When he saw her about to cross the street, he quickly grabbed her arm, halting her steps.

 

“What the hell, Sherlock?” she almost shouted at him. Sherlock stared into her tired eyes and immediately felt guilty for his behaviour at the cake shop earlier.

 

“Molly, I…” Sherlock hesitated. He did not know what to say to make up for his behaviour.

 

He was silent, forming words in his brain when Molly sighed in exasperation. “If you have nothing else to say, would you please let me go? One of the pathologists could not make it for a week and I’m supposed to take over her place.”

 

Molly looked upset and disgruntled, and Sherlock knew he should not poke with her feelings at the moment. So he did what he thought was the best thing to do.

 

He let go of her hand.

 

“Right. Of course,” he said curtly. He watched quietly and sadly as she crossed the street without turning back to look at him.

* * *

 

**Author's Note:**

> Like I mentioned in the tags, this was before TFP. I kinda hoped that this could somehow explain the 'bad day' that Molly was referring to in the final episode of the season.


End file.
